You would possibly suppose that Texas, the place the governor and his henchmen all suppose renewable vitality is the Satan’s dwelling, could be the final place in America to see digital energy plant expertise provided to house owners. at dwelling. However in actuality, ERCOT, Texas’ utility operator, is remitted by legislation to construct the grid as cheaply as attainable. That, in flip, leaves it open to system failures like the huge blackouts that hit the state after a strong winter storm in 2021.
The governor blamed renewables, however the actuality was ERCOT’s failure to anticipate such a climate occasion that prevented wind generators which might be an everyday sight in Texas from with the ability to stand up to freezing temperatures. Such measures value cash, and so in fact they weren’t included when wind farms had been constructed. Being reasonably priced usually means spending extra money in the long term, as Texans found when electrical energy costs rose from 12 cents per kWh to $3.00 per kWh or extra.
Up to date Griddy invoice! 1300 sq ft. Warmth set at 60, no laundry, no operating dishwasher, no range/oven cooking, solely used air fryer , daytime lights candles at night time largely , Television in some. Some how they are saying I exploit 1772 khw. ,000 @wfaa @FOX4 pic.twitter.com/r1eidadyur
— kat and tony (@katandtonyT) February 20, 2021
The results of this stupidity within the pursuit of financial savings is that the authorities in Texas have created a state of affairs the place it’s cheaper to put in a photo voltaic system with battery backup than to proceed to belief Greg Abbott and his mates to offer dependable, low-cost. electrical energy for the individuals of Texas.
The Digital Energy Plant Plan
This previous week, Octopus Vitality and Enphase introduced a brand new partnership that enables residential prospects the chance to combine Enphase’s photo voltaic and battery options into their vitality plan to unlock decrease prices. on dwelling vitality charges. As a part of the settlement, Octopus Vitality will be capable of flexibly management the shopper’s battery to cut back utilization when the grid is most restricted and assist save prospects tons of of {dollars} per yr, in response to a press launch. “Our partnership has simply begun. We look ahead to increasing into new markets with world-class services and products to advertise a extra sustainable future collectively,” stated Octopus Vitality.
The proprietary software program platform from Octopus Vitality manages, controls, and optimizes distributed vitality sources. It plans to create a digital energy plant with Enphase’s dwelling battery programs and bid these DERs on the Electrical Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) ancillary markets – a primary of its type class for these properties.
Octopus Vitality can optimize how a buyer’s battery interacts with the electrical grid via Clever Octopus, the sensible machine’s vitality advertising and marketing plan, permitting prospects to entry not less than retail worth. And naturally, in instances of a grid outage, the most cost effective electrical energy in the mean time is that produced by the photo voltaic system on the roof of the home.
As Octopus Vitality expands its retail vitality presence to states outdoors of Texas, it hopes the brand new partnership will scale back prices for patrons and promote a cleaner grid. “Our partnership with Enphase Vitality is a crucial step as we speed up the transition to renewable vitality throughout the U.S. Load flexibility creates vital worth for high-renewable vitality grids and retailers in vitality has a singular means to customise electrical energy costs for patrons, so it is a excellent alternative to mix the worth of demand response right into a retail product to create the most cost effective worth for to prospects.”
“Retailers have the chance to guide the vitality transition by combining customer-centric product choices, trendy expertise, and ratemaking authority to create merchandise that decrease prices and actually decrease carbon, ” stated Michael Lee, CEO of Octopus Vitality US. “We look ahead to working with Enphase Vitality as we develop all kinds of low-cost and modern charges to decarbonize our electrical grid.”
“We’re excited to accomplice with Octopus Vitality to deliver dwelling photo voltaic and batteries to Texas owners, serving to them higher handle their electrical energy prices and create a extra sustainable vitality system for everybody,” stated Dave Ranhoff, chief industrial officer of Enphase Vitality. “Our partnership has simply begun. We look ahead to increasing into new markets with world-class services and products to foster a extra sustainable future collectively. “
The partnership between Octopus Vitality and Enphase comes as policymakers world wide look to harness rising applied sciences to speed up the transition to renewables, in addition to take away obstacles to wash vitality. vitality progress. Along with Enphase, Octopus Vitality allows prospects to optimize their digital energy plant at dwelling system round simple participation in ancillary markets and demand response packages for instant storage. .
That is the most recent step in Octopus Vitality’s mission to allow a wiser, greener future world wide. One of the crucial awarded vitality firms in the UK, the place the corporate was based 5 years in the past, Octopus Vitality entered the US market in 2020. In 2022, it launched Octopus Electrical Autos, the built-in response to demand EV rental plan that facilitates accessibility and adoption of EVs and sensible charging, in addition to Clever Octopus, a wise demand response plan that lowers electrical energy payments by as much as 30 p.c just by permitting Octopus to automate sensible charging for the shopper.
The EV Concierge Program
Final summer season, Chris George, the top of Octopus Electrical Autos in America, stated CleanTechnica, “Upon visiting our web site, customers shall be greeted with our EV Concierge program, pattern EV choices, and an invite to fill out our type to see in the event that they qualify to take part within the beta program. If a buyer qualifies, our EV Concierge will present certified prospects with white-glove service, aiding soon-to-be EV drivers all through the car search and rental course of, together with choice and supply of a brand new or used EV of their selection, set up of an EV dwelling charger, and schooling on greatest practices for EV possession. New prospects will obtain a brand new EV charge.
“With excessive demand for EVs and a decent provide of used and new EVs, this is a crucial time for us to enter the EV area to assist drivers transition to EV possession whereas we’re pushing in the direction of electrification. Plus, with our white-glove service, together with EV schooling, we assist make the transition simpler by strolling prospects via the complete course of – growing possession confidence of EV and eliminating ‘concern of the unknown.’ “
In a current article, we instructed our readers a few new report circulated on rarified air in Davos this week that recognized three so-called “tremendous tipping factors” that may assist shift the world from the brink of local weather catastrophe. Octopus and Enphase assist make that occur.
Admire CleanTechnica’s originality and cleantech information protection? Think about turning into a CleanTechnica Member, Supporter, Technician, or Ambassador — or Patreon patron.
Do not need to miss a cleantech story? Join day by day information updates from CleanTechnica by electronic mail. Or observe us on Google Information!
Have a tip for CleanTechnica, need to promote, or need to recommend a visitor for our CleanTech Speak podcast? Contact us right here.
